Improvement in car-couplings



2 SheetsuSheet 1.

ELANE.

Improvementn Car-Couphng.

No. 126,40L Patented May 7,1872.

2 Sheets--Shee 2.

E. LANE.

Improvement in Car-Coupling.

NO 12640L PmemeMay7J87L zy @d/@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERASTUS LANE, OF OLD TOWN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND M. H. ANGELL, OF BANGOR, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,401, dated May 7, 1872.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ERAsTUs LANE, of Old Town, in the county of Penobscot and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Car- Coupling; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l shows a plan of my invention; Fig. 2, an inner view of one side piece. Fig. 3, Plate 2 shows a perspective view of the front of my improved couple.

The object of my invention is to produce a coupling for railway cars which will obviate the necessity of going between them either in shackling or unshackling.

Its operation will be readily understood on reference to the drawing.

It is composed of two parts, A and B, jointed at C so as to form a jaw to hold the shacklebolt I), which is provided with conical points a a. and shoulders b b. This jaw is kept closed by means of springs o c on each side thereof. The mouth or opening to receive the shacklebolt is flaring so that it may more readily slip into the cavity d made to receive it. The jaws A Bare hollowed, and when the shackle has once passed into the hole d it is retained by its shoulders .b b and the shoulders e e of the jaws A B,`holding the cars securely together. The .bolt O always remains in a horizontal position,

f .but is allowed sufficient play to accommodate itself to the motion of the cars.

This coupling may be operated, if desired,

from the platform of the car, one method of doing which I will describe.

Chains f g are attached to each jaw, A B, of the shackle, one of which passes directly to a shaft, h, upon the platform of the car, and the other is secured to it after passing around a pulley, i. These chains are wound around said shaft t' in the same direction, so that they can both be Wound up by turning said shaft, which, for convenience, may be provided with a wheel,

Now, when it is desired to nnshackle the cars the chains f g may be wound up by means of the shaft i and wheel j, drawing open the jaws A B of the shackle. This allows the bolt O to drop out of the hole d and frees it from the shoulders e c. It drops down and into a second cavity, K, which second cavity is made larger upon the inside of the shackle, and has no shoulders to oppose the withdrawal of the bolt, which, as the cars are started, easily slips out and detaches itself.

In attaching cars one of which is shackled by the old form of link, a shackle-bolt of the description shown in the detail E may be used, and furnished with the plate l to prevent its slipping too far in between the jaws A B.

W'hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The within-described car-coupling, having the parts A B jointed, as shown springs c c, and cavities d and K, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ERASTUS LANE.

Witnesses:

J. W. RICKER, WM. FRANKLIN SEAVEY. 

